An Open Letter To Bud Selig

Question: Bud Selig is member of the board for which famous pro sports team?

(You can find the answer at the end of the article.)

An open letter to Mr. Allan H. (Bud) Selig Commissioner of Major League Baseball and Mr. Wisconsin

Dear Sir,

To hear you, Mr. Selig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball, state that saving the "sanctity of the season" is only partially "on [your] radar screen" because the major league players can turn around and strike is ironic given that you used to run the baseball team in one of America's main beer-producing cities. Allow me to explain why.

this bud's for you

After all, your position — if I dare call it one — is much like a drunken driver stating that he does not anticipate getting stopped for a DUI because the cops may or may not stop him. Well Bud, this one's for you: if you want to avoid a work stoppage, approaching 10 since 1972 by the way, the onus is on you as much as it is on the driver not drinking. When you "gave up" your old gig as just another ball owner of the Milwaukee Brewers to become the Commissioner in the most venerable and traditional sports league, you took on a greater responsibility and duty — forget that not, Bud.

Pointing to the other side and copping out makes you nothing more than a politician and a lawyer, and a crooked one at that. Donald Fehr is paid to represent the players' union, so I expect him to only see things from their perspective, but you should represent ball owners while ultimately pledging allegiance to your clients: the fans that support your team, the advertisers that count on games being played, and the communities that support you. And that means all fans, advertisers and communities, not solely the fortunate few who inhabit the state of Wisconsin and the city of Milwaukee. Although I do not know if they would consider themselves so lucky, they did after all finance your $393 million Miller Park, largely through tax dollars.

things that make you go hmmm...

It's ironic that after you led a consortium, which led to the resignation of Fay Vincent on September 7th 1992, you took over as interim commissioner and subsequently voted to hire yourself as commissioner six years later. When the time came to find a permanent commissioner, you disallowed then owner of the Texas Rangers and current President of the United States, George W. Bush to apply because rightfully, it would create a conflict of interest. Why would it create a conflict in his case, but not yours?

After all, despite "symbolically" transferring the Brewers to your daughter, Wendy Selig-Prieb, you are, for all intents and purposes, running the show in both MLB and Milwaukee. And your track record in both places speaks volumes about the State of the Pastime. And before you dare disregard my allegation that there is a flagrant conflict of interest in your case, allow me to offer the following examples.